Análise descritiva e efeito de sexo para avaliações zootécnicas em ovinos Santa Inês.

O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma análise descritiva de avaliações zootécnicas de ovinos Santa Inês, e avaliar o efeito de sexo sobre estas medidas, quando realizadas na 34a semana de idade. Foram utilizados 100 machos e 139 fêmeas, e aferidas as medidas de alturas na cernelha e na garupa, perímetros da coxa e torácico, comprimentos do corpo e da garupa, larguras do peito e da garupa, profundidade do tórax, os pesos ao nascimento e ao desmame, além das imagens de ultrassom da área do músculo Longissimus dorsi e da espessura de gordura nesse músculo, ambas obtidas entre a 12a e 13a costelas. Todos os animais foram criados em sistema semi-confinado, pastejando durante o dia e alojados a noite, quando receberam silagem de milho. Observou-se elevada amplitude total para algumas das características, além de coeficientes de variação que confirmaram a existência de importante variação no rebanho, tendo sido a área do músculo Longissimus dorsi a medida de maior variação, tanto em fêmeas quanto em machos. Machos foram 7,12 kg, em média, mais pesados que as fêmeas. Os sexos não diferiram para altura na cernelha, profundidade do corpo, perímetro da coxa e as larguras de garupa e de peito, porém os machos foram ligeiramente (1,45 cm) mais altos na garupa, apresentaram corpo mais longo (3,73 cm), tiveram maior perímetro torácico (3,4 cm), além de garupa mais longa (1,19 cm), que as fêmeas. Para espessura de gordura não foi possível identificar diferença entre os sexos, mas os machos apresentaram área do músculo Longissimus dorsi ligeiramente (0,96 cm2) maior que as fêmeas. Essas diferenças evidenciaram importante dimorfísmo sexual na raça Santa Inês

Relationships Between Subgingival Microbiota and GCF Biomarkers in Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis

Aim To examine relationships between subgingival biofilm composition and levels of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) cytokines in periodontal health and generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAP). Materials and methods Periodontal parameters were measured in 25 periodontally healthy and 31 GAP subjects. Subgingival plaque and GCF samples were obtained from 14 sites from each subject. 40 subgingival taxa were quantified using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization and the concentrations of 8 GCF cytokines measured using Luminex. Cluster analysis was used to define sites with similar subgingival microbiotas in each clinical group. Significance of differences in clinical, microbiological and immunological parameters among clusters was determined using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results GAP subjects had statistically significantly higher GCF levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p\u3c0.001), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (p\u3c0.01), and IL-1β/IL-10 ratio (p\u3c0.001) and higher proportions of Red and Orange complex species than periodontally healthy subjects. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean proportion of cytokines among clusters in the periodontally healthy subjects, while the ratio IL-1β/IL-10 (p\u3c0.05) differed significantly among clusters in the aggressive periodontitis group. Conclusions Different subgingival biofilm profiles are associated with distinct patterns of GCF cytokine expression. Aggressive periodontitis subjects were characterized by a higher IL-1β/IL-10 ratio than periodontally healthy subjects, suggesting an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in aggressive periodontitis

Functional development and regeneration of hair cells in the zebrafish lateral line

Hair cells are mechanosensory receptors responsible for transducing auditory and vestibular information into electrical signals, which are then transmitted with remarkable precision to afferent neurons. Different from mammals, the hair cells of lower vertebrates, including those present in the neuromasts of the zebrafish lateral line, regenerate following environmental or chemical insults. Here we investigate the time course of regeneration of hair cells in vivo using electrophysiology, two-photon imaging and immunostaining applied to wild-type and genetically encoded fluorescent indicator zebrafish lines. Functional hair cells drive spontaneous action potentials in the posterior lateral line afferent fibres, the frequency of which progressively increases over the first 10 days post-fertilisation (dpf). Higher firing-rate fibres are only observed from ∼6 dpf. Following copper treatment, newly formed hair cells become functional and are able to drive APs in the afferent fibres within 48 h in both early-larval (≤8 dpf) and late-larval (12–17 dpf) zebrafish. However, the complete functional regeneration of the entire neuromast is delayed in late-larval compared to early-larval zebrafish. We propose that while individual regenerating hair cells can rapidly become active, the acquisition of fully functional neuromasts progresses faster at early-larval stages, a time when hair cells are still under development. At both ages, the afferent terminals in the regenerating neuromast appear to make initial contact with supporting cells. The ablation of the lateral line afferent neurons prevents the timely regeneration of supporting cells and hair cells. These findings indicate that the afferent system is likely to facilitate or promote the neuromast regeneration process